Rice

Portions of the South Texas coast, especially around the Beaumont area, have soils and abundant water which makes them ideal for rice production. The Texas A&M Research and Extension Center at Beaumont is located in extreme southeast Texas, just 30 miles from the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and 30 miles from the Louisiana border to the east. The Beaumont Center provides educational support for rice production, as well as the alternative crops associated with rice. The Center is part of the Texas A&M University System and has faculty from the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University, and the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.

The Texas rice industry contributes nearly $1 billion to the state economy every year. Roughly half, or $500 million, is directly related to the value of the rice crop. The other half of that figure can be attributed to the revenue from outdoor activities such as bird watching and hunting. The rice producing area of Texas is located in the heart of our Central Flyway for migratory birds. Texas rice farmers play a vital role maintaining winter feeding grounds for migratory birds that flock south in the winter months.